Mayor invites public to 'Countdown to Christmas' with her in Guildhall Square
12 December 2023
As excitement for children ahead of Christmas Eve night reaches fever pitch, Mayor of Derry City and Strabane District Council, Councillor Patricia Logue, is inviting local families to join her in Guildhall Square for a special festive experience just before the big day.
Countdown to Christmas from 6pm to 8pm on Thursday December 21st and Friday December 22nd will be hosted by Derry Entertainer Michael Doherty and feature festive entertainment from carol signers, Christmas characters and a rumoured appearance from Santa Claus all under the stunning backdrop of Ireland’s tallest tree.
Mayor Logue encouraged local people to come along, take photographs, enjoy the experience and sample some of the Christmas refreshments on offer.
“I am delighted to extend an invite to all the families in the City and District to this new initiative which I hope will allow people to come together in our beautifully lit up city centre and soak up the festive atmosphere ahead of Christmas day,” she said.
“The town will be busy with people shopping and socialising on both nights and, if you’re passing through, I’d love to see you to enjoy some festive music, get a photograph with our festive characters or in our Christmas bauble and grab a hot chocolate or food at our stalls.
“While it may not be a white Christmas this year, with the aid of Santa’s magic there could be snowfall on both nights and maybe even an appearance from the man himself if children keep their eyes peeled!”
Local choirs singing on the Guildhall steps will include the Villagers, Voices of the Foyle, Hive and Momentum while festive music will also be played in between performances on the PA system.
Countdown to Christmas is a free event and open to all the public however donation buckets for the Mayor's Charities Foyle Hospice and The Ryan McBride Foundation will be in place on both evenings.
For full details of Council’s Christmas programming visit derrystrabane.com/Christmas and the What’s On Derry Strabane social media pages.
Share your experiences of the events on social media using the hashtag #DerryStrabaneChristmas.